Shoe heel and method of manufacturing the same



I 1931- Q n L. JWBAZZONi ,78 96 URING THE SAME Fi led March a 1929 MANUFAC T Patented w e g i Lewis a. nazzom, or s'wm sc re, iu'ssaonusn'rrshssienoa ro fu'iirrnnlsfibl shoe heels and methods ofmanufacturingthe covering which overlie the breast cornersaof v nacnmnnv coaromnonor rarnnsom nnwganasnt; aconroaarr'on orgxnw" mann r in name]; manumac'runiye 'rnn f Application filedlaireh 5,"

This invention relates to improvements in The lateralbre'ast corners heels, on ac-- count of their sharpness and exposed location,

are particularly susceptible-to wear and'if the heels are covered the portions ofuthe the heels are moreliable to become worn on damagedthan other portions of the covering Moreover, in cases where marginalzportions of .aiheel covering are turnedor tuckedinto recesses or grooves in the heel, the portions of 7 the covering which overlie the edges :ofthe recesses "or grooves are false 'particularly susceptlbleto-wear and in ury;

; One object of the: resentinvention is to provide an improve "heel having-portions.

which are reinforced against wearand injury.

With this object in view, one feature .Of-the invention consists in; a heel having "a-l'fitted:

portion adaptedto receive a member for reinforcing avportiqnof: the heel, and a reinforc--- beveledor rabbeted to preparethem'for the ing member secured too said fitted:v portion of the heel. As herein-illustrated,'the iheels'are fitted by having their lateral breast corners reception of breast corner 'reinfoi'cing jmem- I bers, anda breast corner reinforcing mem her-in the form of a stripofwear-resisting. material-is applied to each prepared corner v portion of the heel, and secured thereto by adesiv'e'or other suitable means, to replace the .material re'movedby the rabbeting or beveling operations; and thereby to provide lateral heel breast corners which are less susceptible to wear and injury than are the breast corners of a normal heel. The invention'isnot, how ever, necessarily restricted to reinforcement" of thellatera'l breast corners'of heels inasmuch as other portions" which; are susceptible to wear or injury may advantageously be ,rein-' forcedvv Neither is the invention necessarily restricted to the performance of beveling,

rabbeting or othervfitting operations upon heels of-n'ormal configuration since it is within the spirit of the invention to' provide heels made, for example of plastic material, whichare initially molded or otherwise formed. with the desired reduced or fitted portions for 192 s r l 1ewaz the finished shoe.

In accordance with anotherlfeature' of the' 1 invention which is applicable'toembodiment in" covered heels, *t-heillustrated'jheeb breast corner reinforcing strips'arecomp'osed of the same ma terial'as that to; be emplo ed for covering the heeli :As herein illustra d the reinforcing stripsyand the heel coveringare .both composed of celluloid although leather or other suitable" material may be'employed;

worn-away so as to expose-to viewlportions' 'With this construction, when the portions of the heel covering which overlie Ethe -breast icorner reinforcing strips become partially of: the reinforcing 'strips,-th'e worn condition of the heel covering-will be less noticeable- 1 because of the fact that the exposed portions of the heel beneath the worn portionsof the over 1 are composed of the same "material as the'cQVer itself; I a The invention is not 'lim1ted,"however,*to the use of reinforcing strips of the samematerial'as the heel covering,:it being pointed out that it is advantageous in some instances.

to employ'reinforcin'g strips of'metal or other material ofv reinforcin 'strips'may be securedi'n-place in any. suitab e'lmanner as,-for example,- by the eater wear-resisting-character- :isticsltha'n -t e: heel covering -material. Such useof-small nails,i'and they are especially us ful in connection with heelshavin'g painted:

or coated surfaces. The invention further resides, P oved method of makin heels which con- "sists iii-forming a'heel with'a-"fitted portion adapted to'receive a reinforcing member, and

securing a reinforcing member to saidfitted portion'of the heel. -In one exemplification hereinshown of this aspect of;theinvention,

the lateral breast corners of a" heel are beveledand the material removed by' thebevelin I initially ap lied to the heel in the form of strips not s aped to the final cross-sectional operation is replacedby-reinforcing-material erence to theaccompanying drawings, illusprefrred'embodiments there r v y p perspective view of an uncovcred Cuban heel having relnforcing strips applied to its lateral breast corners' in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2' 's a crossesectio'nal view of the heel shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a covered" heel having reinforcing strips at itsbreast,

corners "Figs-e e Gare fragmentary sectionalv i ws showin modification f theyconstruc beveled to receive reinforcing strips and illustrating one-manner of applying the stri ,stojt ep eled corners; 1

, ig.;x8-,isi a fragmentary sectional, view illustrating a: further stage in-theprocess of making a covered -heel having beveled and 1 reinforcedbreast corners;

Fig.9 is a view similar, to Fig. 8 but illus trating-the use of a single piece of material forcovering the sides and breast of the heel -.corners.i nsuch avmanner as to replacethe material removed by the rabbetingoperation and also the use of reinforcing strips at the.

center of the heel breastadjacent to themeeting ends er. the covering;

its finis ed form;

Referringto-Figs. 1 to. 6, inclusive, of the drawings, there :is -indicated' at H. a wooden Cuban heel having its opposite lateral breast corners'rabbeted, as shown at R,:;to receive reinforcing strips such as the strips 14 which maybe 'made of any suitable wear-resisting material. Asshownin'Figs. 1 and-2, the reinforcin strips 14 are made of such crosssectional s ape as to fit-within the rabbeted so that the heels, after the reinforcing strips 14 have been ap lied-thereto, are of normal cross-sectional sliape at the breast corners. If the reinforcing strips are made of celluloid theymay be applied whileathecelluloid is in a softened .state, in. which "caseithe cellu loidupon dryingwill adhere to the heel-body 1g*.= 10. is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating one of the steps in another;

without the necessity of employing any special adhesive. If material other .than celluloid is employed for the reinforcing strips, the strips may be securely held in place by the use of any suitable adhesive such as celluloid cement or by other suitable securing means. The reinforcing strips 14 may be i de of such material as ma'terially to strengthen the breast corners as Well as to of such coated heels, when the coating becomes worn away at the breast cornersz the I reinforcing strips'will then become exposed F 1g. 4 1s a fragmentary; cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, ofthe heel showncolor and; appearance as the coating it will but inasmuch as the strips are of the samethe exposed reinforcing strips. Will withstand a substantial amount ofiadditionalwear be fore any. portion of thefwooden heel body,

to view will: havethe same physical char 'acteristics as the coveringitselfxand consequently; the 4 worn condition ,of the a covering will be less noticeable, As shownin Fig. 4,

,will be exposed to view. in the vicinity of the Y breastcorners. 2: III-11116 'coveredrheel constructions exem plified in Figs; 3, 4 andj6 abreast covering '16 and a side covering 18 is'shown, each con-1' sistingof a thin sheetof celluloid, and the: reinforcing strips-14 are also made ofucellus loid so that'as the margins. of the breast or side coverings which overlap the reinforcing strips ;wear away the material thus exposed the lateral margins-of the breast covering 16 are received in the rabbeted cornerzportions R 1 between the reinforcing strips 14 and the. 1 sides ofthe'recess form'edby the rabbeti-ng. Fig; 10 but operation. The side covering 18, however,

which extends around the rear and sides of the heel overlaps the reinforcing strips andis trimmed flush with-the breastsurface of the heel. The coverings '16Jand 18 and the reinforcing, strips- .each being mad of; celluloid and applied. tothe heel in a semi solvent v condition, the cover qmar'gins will become firmly attached orrfused to the reinforcing strips when the celluloid becomesdry.

Asshown in-Fig. .5, both the breast covering 16 and the side .cov ering 18 havetheir margins received in the rabbeted corner por-' tions .R' andare thus securely held in place,

by the ,strips 14. IneFig. 6 both the sideand 7 breast .coveringsffare shown as, overlapping.

the reinforcing strip 14 -so as entirely to co ncealit from view.

, In the constructions exemplified in Figs. 7 8 and 9 the breast corners of the heel H are i beveled as indicated at B. insteadof being 1 3 rabbeted as hereinbefore described, and the material removed by relieving the corners in this manner is replaced by wedge-shaped reinforcing strips 14a. In heels having beveled faces, such as thefacesB atthe breast corners, the reinforcing strips are advantageously applied in the rectangular crosssectional form shown at 20 in Fig. 7 and reduced to the desired wedge sha e by sanding or other suitable operations a ter the strips have been secured in place. As exemplified in Fig. 8 the reinforcing strips are left exposed at the breast of theheel between separate side and breast coverings 18 and 16, respectively, while in Fig. 9 a one-piece cover '22 extends over both the side and breast surportions of the heels since-the invention is applicable also to the reinforcing of other portions of the heels such as portions where a joint is formed between two adjacent man gins of a covering, as shown, forexample,

in Fig. 9 wherein reinforcing strips 146 are inserted at opposite sides ofa groove 24 in the center of the heel breast. In this construction, the meeting ends of a one-piece heel cover 22 are tuckedinto the groove 24 between the strips 141) and the strips define the edges of the opening into which the cover .margins are tucked and reinforce the portions of the cover which overlie these edges.

As shown at 140 in Fig. 11 the reinforcing strips may be made of such cross-sectional shape that the outer side faces of the strips will blend with the cross-sectional curvature ofthe-sides of the heel without the necessity of beveling, rabbeting or otherwise fitting the corner portions of the heel to receive the strips. In accordance with a practice found to. be advantageous reinforcing strips may be employed which are initially of rectangular cross-sectional form such as that shown at 26 in Fig. 10, and the strips may be re;

duced by sanding or bufiing operations to the desired finished form shown in Fig. 11.

In cases where the reinforcing strips are to be partially exposed in the finished heels these strips may, as herein shown, he arranged with edge portions rojecting forwardly beyond the breast surface of the heel so that a breast covering may be applied between the reinforcing strips with the exposed surface of the breast covering flush with the forwardly projecting ed e portions of the reinforcing strips. Furt ermore, if the re- I place inforcing strips are to be exposed in the fininlay efiect whichis highly desirablein 1' cerf' tain types of hoes." Having: described Patent of the United Statesis:

'1; A heel having agc e w h I my invention, when claim as new and "desire-to secure by Letters l cated and adapted toreceive'a member for reinforcing fthe corner between the heel cutiaway' portion of ithe heel-, said member breast andone sideof theheehahdfg; h for reinforcing "said corner secured tojsair'l '80 being shaped and arranged t'ocoinpensatej folthe normal. side contourof the heel.

2. A heel having a reduced corner portion, anda piece of reinforcing material applied 'I to saidcorner' portion} 3. A heel having the material cutaway and' thus to-preserve 7 its lateral breast corners removed, and strips; of wear-resisting 'mae min securedlto theheel; and arranged to re; I

I he removed portions of t the breast corner'sup' ii-"A-hre'l having beveled tweeter-pea tions, and reinforcing "strips secured up n.

said j beveld portions, said strips-being shaped to compensate for thefmaterial "re moved by the bevelin operations and thus tofpreserve the norina of the heel.

5'. A heel having a'reduced corner portion l i l 1 reinforced by .the' application theret of strip of 'wear+resisting'- material;' and separate I contours ofthe; sides 1 l coverin 's for thejsi'de and breast surfacesof Y.

the bee ar an reinforcing strip. "i Y 6; Afheel" having gedat opposite'sides of said a aaaa'siatra "ta s-t edgeportionpa reinforcing member applied f as said-reducedportion, andfajhe'elcovering' overl'aplping said reinforcin i'nember; 7. A- eel-havmga-reduce portlon'extending heightwise of the heel along one of its lateral breast edges, a celluloid reinforcing stripap lied to said redu ed ortien, and a 'celluloi heel covering overlapping said reinforcing strip andsecuredthereto'z" 8.;"A heel having-"a reinforced breastcor-i ner, and a covering overlapping said corner.

9i Af-heel havinga reinforcedbreast cor ner, and a covering overlyingaportionlo'f the reinforced 1 corner, said corner "having.an-J prevent in jury to theheel and thecovering" :2'

trips at the lateral vcorn'ersof its breast,the stripslhaving.v

other portion exposed to wear to 10. A'heel having reinforcing s edge portions projecting forwardly beyond the breast siirface','-and.a breast coveringhav-" ing its exposed side flush wit'h the' forwardly projecting edge portions; of; the-"reinforcing strips. h p 11. A heel having reinforcing strips at the lateral corners of its breast,"the strips having edgeprojecting [forwardly beyond. I the breast surface, .a. covering for the sides of the heel overlying said strips, and a breast covering having ts I ex sed side flush with the forwardly projecting edge portions of p the reinforcing strips. v

sectional contours,

. ingheels whic "eral breast corners of a heel, and buildin up the beveled corners to restore them-to t eir original shape: bi 25' 14. That impl ovenient in i netho ds inakconsists inbevelin the lat-.

securing strips of wear- -tliereto.;

materia resist" 15.- T at vimprovement in methods of making covered, heels which consists in ap lying to the lateral: breast corners of a bee jrein forcingstrips notshaped to final cross-sec-f, tional form, and thereafter reducing said stri sgto-a-cros s-sectional contour blending wi the'oross-sectional contour of the heel. '16-. That improvement in methods of mak- I j-consists inbeveling the lating-heels-whic eral breast-corners o fa heel, replacin the portions removed-hem the corners o the. eel by securing "to saidbeveled corners rein- 10 in :stripsrof greater-cross-sectionalarea than t at ultimately desired, and thereafter, a

shaping said, strips ,to .cause the cross-sec-. gtionalcurvature of theirvexposed., si rfacg'es to blend with the cross-sec l curvature the lateral breast corners ofaheel, replacing the-material removed byfth'e reducin opera- Lthe sides of the heel.

17 a That improvement in methods'of making 'coveredheelswhich consists in reducing tion'by reinforcing stri sof celluloi ,apply;

' ingto the'heel ace uloid' cover havin marginal portions' adapted-to, overlap sai stri s,-and fusing said cover margins and sai stripstogether. 18. That improvement in methods of mak-\ ing coveredheels which consists in-beveling the lateral breast corners of a heel, securing to the beveledsurfaces reinforcing strips 0 rectangular crossgsection, and thereafter reg ducing the reinforcin strips to-ca'use their" the side surfaces of 'the'heel.

outer-surfaces to blen withthe-curvature of g .In teStimonyQwhereM I hav e'si'gned name-to this specificationr; I .LEWIS J BALZZONIQ 

